The fate of heroes
by Krikr
Summary: The Courier just met Caesar and vulpes want to show her something-or rather, someone-. repost of a story I found on the Kmeme. T for language and sexual references.


**AN: So, I always assume that the Courrier is the Lone Wanderer in my playthroughs but, I've often asked myself, how would a meeting between the courrier and the lone wanderer be ? So here it is.**

**However, I must confess that I'm not the author of this story. I just saw it on the kink meme and decided to share it with you all. I may write a sequel to it though.**

_disclaimer: Fallout isn't mine. Even this story isn't._

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"I trust your meeting with Caesar went well?" asked Vulpes. The Courier nodded curtly.  
"He's an intelligent man, and he makes his points well. Though I must say, you'd have a better chance at winning me over if I couldn't hear your men talking about trying me out."

Vulpes smiled in his unsettling way, and the Courier wished once again that she'd never come to the Fort. Sure, she'd wanted to hear Caesar out, but it hardly seemed worth the paranoia she'd felt since first setting foot at Cottonwood Cove.

"Mere soldiers will make their crude remarks regardless of their uniform- if you do not think the NCR's men have harbored similar fantasies you are very innocent. None would risk Caesar's wrath, I assure you. But there are more pressing matters at hand."  
"Are there?" She didn't like the sound of that.  
"Yes. Allow me to show you something."

Stepping down the path away from Caesar's tent, Vulpes led the way to slave quarters. A small crowd was gathered around a prisoner, bloody from head to foot, thin and gaunt as if he had been starved.

"What did he do?"  
"They called him the Great Emancipator. Or sometimes the Lone Wanderer. A man from the East, traveling about attempting heroics. Unfortunately for him, he became quite a hero to the slaves. When we captured him with a group he was attempting to rescue, every one of them claimed to be him in an effort to shield the real man from our wrath."

The Courier bit her tongue. The Lone Wanderer? Here? That book of his had saved her life a thousand times...

"Are you going to crucify him?"  
"And create a martyr? Hardly. We put him in the gladiator arena, where he refused to kill the defeated slaves. Enough torture, though, and he will. They will see their hero killing their friends, and he will be of no more trouble."

Vulpes gave her another smile.

"Thus is the fate of heroes. We thought it best that you know, in case you thought of betraying Caesar."

The Courier nodded, but her eyes never left the tortured man. It was amazing how he held his head high despite being unable to stand, his grey eyes never dulled by the pain. She could easily imagine how such a man had traveled so many miles across the Wasteland without faltering, and why the Legion wanted him dead.

Her words to Vulpes were ones of polite farewell, but the ones in her head promised to get the Lone Wanderer out of there.

...

"So," sighed Arcade, looking uncomfortable in Legion armor. "Tell me the plan again?"  
"You know Latin, I know how to look scared and helpless and sexually appealing. You pretend to be a guard, take me to his tent as an 'incentive' to kill his opponents. It's dark out- I'll keep my head down and they'll never recognize me. Once we're in, we slip him the gun."  
"You really are trying to get us crucified, aren't you?"  
"Now Arcade, have I ever deliberately led you into danger?"  
"Every day since we met." He sighed again. "Alright. Just keep quiet and let me do the talking."

Pulling the Courier's leash, he dragged her towards the Lone Wanderer's tent. Stopping outside to speak with the guards, words passed by her that she couldn't understand. Arcade's tone made it clear enough what he was saying, though she suspected he was using bigger words than the other men had ever heard, even in Latin.

It must have worked, because they leered at her and laughed and opened the tent flap.

The Lone Wanderer was inside, his hands bound and his legs bandaged. When he saw her, he drew away in horror.

"You fucking bastards! You think I'm a rapist? I'd rather die than hurt this woman!"  
"I'm grateful, shut up." The Courier's voice was barely above a whisper. "It's okay- he's not with the Legion and neither am I. We're getting you out. Here."

She tossed a handgun to him, then took out her own combat knife and started working on his ropes.

"Not the best gun I have, but one they didn't notice. Next time they come to get you, you can surprise them. My friends and I will be waiting to help you."  
"Why? If you are not a slave, why should you risk your life to help me?"

She gave him a wink.

"Let's just say I'm a fan of your book." She nodded to Arcade, who took her by the leash again. "See you later."

The Courier was dragged outside, where she listened to more Latin words and leers, this time punctuated by Arcade slapping her ass. She saved her look of indignation until they were out of site of the rest.

"What the hell was that about?"  
"I told them the boy was clearly a homosexual, but I didn't mind since that left you for me."  
"You're enjoying this too much."  
"It's your own damn fault."

...

"Alright guys, listen up." The Courier looked at her assembled gang of mercenaries, mutants and madmen, all of whom she was glad to see were paying attention. "When the shooting starts, Lily and I are going in and grabbing the prisoner. Veronica, you sneak up and punch anyone in the way. Cass and Raul, make sure our path out of here is clear. Arcade, be on hand in case anyone gets injured. Boone, I want you to kill any Legionaries who hear shots and try to stop us while they're still a mile away."  
"If you insist," said Boone.

It wasn't easy for the Courier to suppress her normal 'strategy is for suckers' approach to battle, but it wasn't just her life she was risking here. And when a shot rang out from the Lone Wanderer's tent, there wasn't any more time to think.

The Courier dove forward as Lily batted aside Legionaries like flies. Behind her, she could hear the crunch of Veronica's fist and shots from her more trigger-happy companions. She could also have sworn she heard Cass say "Try _this_ out!" as she killed a soldier.

"Can you stand up?" she asked the Lone Wanderer. He shook his head.  
"They broke my legs two days ago."  
"Alright, then." She turned around. "Lily! Change of plan- I need you to carry this man out."  
"Aww, is your playmate all tired out? Well, just this once, dearie."

Noises in the Fort were getting louder, alarms being shouted all across the area. She hadn't thought they'd make that much noise- and then the Courier looked at the terrifying and unusual sight of Boone with a grin on his face.

"Boone, did you kill _Caesar_?"  
"You didn't say I couldn't."  
"Right. New strategy." She looked over her shoulder at the oncoming swarm of soldiers. "Run like hell!"  
"I can't thank you enough for what you've done."

The Lone Wanderer was conscious in the spare bed at the Lucky 38, but just barely. Arcade had patched him up a bit, but it would be some time before his legs had healed. The Courier sat beside his bed, making sure he had enough water.

"You would have done the same for me. You would have done the same for anyone."

He laughed wryly.

"And it's gotten me so many rewards, as you can see."  
"You're alive, anyway."

He really was rather handsome, now that she was sitting so close to him. The Legion's mistreatment had worn him thin, but it hadn't destroyed him. Any other time, she might have climbed into bed beside him, fluttering her eyelashes and whispering a line, but she could wait for now.

"How did you get out here, anyway?" she asked instead. "Your book placed you in the Capital Wasteland."  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. It involves giant robots and stolen Enclave vertibirds."  
"I'll believe you." The Courier made a mental note to hide ED-E from the poor man until he was feeling better.  
"You'll have to forgive me if I'm not very talkative. I'm sure I'll be better with some rest- I'm usually quite the ladykiller."

Really, she thought. That was interesting. She might get more out of her favorite author's stay at her casino than just charity points.

"I imagine a lot of things will be better in the morning. For now, get your rest."

The fate of heroes, Vulpes had said to her. Well, from what she had done tonight, it seemed that heroes tended to inspire others. She could live with that sort of fate.

Especially if the hero was as attractive as this one. She smiled as he drifted off to sleep and she headed towards her own room. If he was willing, after he recovered she would be eager to see how much of a ladykiller he really was.

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**Here it was ! Remember, reviews are an author's salary and I want my pay :-))**


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